Turbo trainer wheel advice

ThisGirlCant
ThisGirlCant Posts: 48
edited October 2017 in Road beginners
Hello,

Upon advice in a previous post, I've managed to find a turbo trainer second hand for a reasonable price. I tried it for the first time tonight and was quite impressed. After just 10 minutes on resistance level 3 (of 10), I was literally dripping in sweat (and very hot - must find a fan or set it up in the conservatory with the door open). So I think it'll be a really useful way of maintaining my fitness over the winter.

Through reading around I've seen that it's recommended to use a more hardwearing tyre for a turbo trainer. The trouble is I've only the one bike, and still plan to ride outside at weekends. The thought of changing the rear tyre between every ride seems like such a faff. So I thought it might be quicker and easier to get a separate rear wheel with a harder tyre on it to just use on the turbo. My question is, will any wheel do? (i.e. could I just get the cheapest 700c wheel with 11 speed shimano cassette on that I can find?)

Or, does it not matter if I use the same setup for on road and on the turbo?

Thanks.

Comments

  • trivial_poursuivant
    trivial_poursuivant Posts: 1,136
    Matters not a bit. Get a cheap as possible , even an old second hand wheel that's probably a bit too worn for road use, you're not going to be braking to make it worse. I would recommend getting an indoor specific tyre over a cheap normal one mainly because they are a lot quieter on the roller and less likely to slip in harder resistances. I have my wife's bike setup permanently on a turbo with a cheap tyre and it makes a hell of a lot more noise than mine does with a blue tacx tyre on an identical turbo (tacx Satori smart)
  • MiddleRinger
    MiddleRinger Posts: 678
    Hit up your LBS or club mates to see if they've got an old rear wheel kicking about they don't mind parting with. Then old tyres too worn for the road will do the trick, but a dedicated turbo tyre will last longer and usually be quieter.
    ~ ~ How fast is fast enough? ~ ~ ~ ~ Tempo Cyclist - Tasmania ~ ~
  • pblakeney
    pblakeney Posts: 27,291
    I simply use an old wheel with worn rims. You don’t brake much on a turbo. :lol:
    Some cheap tyres that came supplied with the bike that I didn’t like have lasted years.
    Sweating is normal, and to be expected.
    The above may be fact, or fiction, I may be serious, I may be jesting.
    I am not sure. You have no chance.
    Veronese68 wrote:
    PB is the most sensible person on here.

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